Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Jun 2012
Bypassing proximal health care facilities for acute care: a survey of patients in a Ghanaian Accident and Emergency Centre.
To characterise the population that presents to the Accident and Emergency Centre (AEC) at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and to identify risk factors associated with bypassing proximal care facilities. ⋯ Patients who bypass facilities near them to seek care at an urban AEC in Ghana do so for a combination of reasons including familiarity with the facility, chief complaint and insurance status. Understanding bypassing behaviour is important for guiding health care utilisation policy decisions and streamlining cost-effective, appropriate access to care for all patients.